St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-12-03
Another Day in Court Taken
Up With Testimony and
Legal Wrangling.
Attorney Hart Outlines the
Defense in Remarks Not
to Be Published.
The Defendant Reid, With His
Stage Talk, Gives His
Testimony.

his AnecJeQ manners ana I'M
portant Airs Convulse All
the Spectators.
1t was not very interesting in the Hal
Reid rape case yesterday until late in
the day. when the prisoner himself
went upon the stand-then a circus
commenced. Lawyers laughed, the
jurors laughed, everybody laughed but
the judge, and the judicial ermine was
almost insufficient to prevent his honor
from giving way to the common weak
ness of human nature.
Proceedings were opened by the pros
ecuting attorney calling DIR. A. j..
Stone. The doctors testimony as to
the nature of Miss Compstons physical
injuries was subjected to very severe
cross-examinatiOn, and the lawyers had
to indulge in the usual sparring over
admitting part of the evidence.
Then to show that Hal Reid had reg
iStered at the WinSlOw house under an
assumed name, Mr.. Mum wanted to
recall the proprietor, J. T. WinslOw.
Certainly Mr.. O'Brien wanted to know
the reason, and when informed, Judge
Kelly admitted the witness. Miss
CompstOn was recalled also to cOrrOb-
crate Il portion of DR.. Stones testimony,
and after few standard quotations had
passed between Messrs. Mum and
D'Brien, the court sustained the latter's
objection on the ground of irreleyancy,
and Miss Maud left the stand very much
nOnplussed.
The state rested at this point. and
Capt. Hart opened up for the defense
with very plain talk. He informed
the jury that the point of the defense
was that 1T was not crime of rape by
a good deal, but that it was ease of
mutual commerce.; that Miss CompStOn
had
GIVEN HER CONSENT
to the deed. Capt. Hart had not pro-
ceeded very far when Mr.. Mum COM
menced his series of interruptions and
objections. Mr.. Munn's frequent objec-
tions were to the effect that instead of
opening the case. counsel for the de-
defense was summing up. but the court
generally ruled so as 10 allow Mr.. Hart
to proceed. The following was his the
Ory and defense.
The young lady had given her con-
/ sent. Both were members of theatri-
cal combination of the not very heavy
order. Each had eccentricitieS: both
were subject to little vagaries and eX-
travagances. They met upon a Monday
morning. lie was married man. He
had received several invitations fIOm
her within a period of five days. He
kisses her hand. She permits it. She
knows he was married man. She
mends his coat. and loans him her ring.
On Thursday afternoon she receives his
proffer Of love. He intimates his desire
for her to become his wife. On Friday
he is i'll her room again by her invita-
ton. They have conversation. He is
there but a short time and the act was
committed. The testimony of this young
lady is that up the time she lay on the
bed she hadn't suspicion of anything
wrong. 1T Is the most remarkable
case of innocence ! ever knew in my
life." exclaimed the mOraliZing advO-
cate. That the short time of their ac-
qualntance might show that the young
lady could not have consented is over
turned blythe evidence of the prOSecu-
triX herself
1T was etting to be little too in
delicate for Miss Compston, she got up
abruptly and asked her mother 10 ac-
company her out of the court room.
Both went out as Mr.. Hart proceeded to
show that it was impossible to have ac-
compliShed the act without Miss Comp
stofs consent, and that she did not
scream or do anything to make any
alarm according to her own testimony
lie proposed to show that she had stated
to the mother of Mrs. Kimball that her
periodical illness had come, and this al
legged fact cut large figure in the de-
fenSe.
THE DEFENSE
All the forenoon was taken up with
the opening for the defense. Mrs. Kim
ball. Miss COmpston's landlady at the
time, was then called as the first wit
ness. She testified that Miss Compston
had received SD many male visitors in
her room that she tAIrs. KimbalD had
forbidden any more of it. She is plain
young woman in dress and talk, and
was very smart in her evidence. She
saw nothing unusual in Reid's man
ner when he came and went away
that Friday afternoon, and although
in the sitting room down stairs she
heard no unusual noise. Next morning
she saw Miss COmpstOn in her room
with her sister present. Miss Compston
was very cheerful and pleasantly COM
plimented her landlady about the lat
ter'S youthful looks, while Mrs. Will
IamS talked to her about dress and visit
ing Minneapolis. That night when Mrs.
Williams went to the theater Miss
CompSton was locked up in her room by
her sister. On Sunday morning when
Miss COmpSton and her sister came
down stairs to go away, Miss Compston
following her sister unassisted, witness
saw no evidence of sickness or weak
ness. 1t was not until Sunday night
that witness heard anything about the
outrage. Mr.. Mum crOSS-examined her
as to diagram of the arrangement of
her rooms and who had occupied them.
She said on the afternoon of the affair
her children were not at home. She
also said she had not seen nor made
any statement to any reporter.
ID. E. Spencer, the keeper of the res |
taurant where the West side theatrical |
performers boarded, was next called. |
He said Reid came to him little after |
5 p. m. that Tuesday and asked him for |
a pair of lady'S underwear. He gave |
him a pair, but didn't know whether |
they were lady's or gentleman's under |
garments. Reid was in a hurry and |
seemed to be little excited.
Scott Gum, the manager of the West |
Side opera house at the time of the Oc-
currence. testified that there was great |
deal of familiarity between Miss Comp
ston and Reid, and, when cross-exam-
ined, he said one time he observed her |
with Reid's arm around her,
and Miss Compston did not seem to OBJ
ject. He said Mrs. Williams told him /
some time after the affair that Reid |
''had ruined her sister," not "raped" or
outraged" her. He told her DR.. Dar-
ling was close by. and it was understood |
between Mrs. Williams, Mr.. Allen and |
the witness that it was to be kept Sc
cret.
MUTUAL SORROW.
Before Mr.. Gum got through Messrs. !
Mum and O'Brien had another fight. |
'.My son. yentured Mr.. O'Brien, as he |
addressed the Jealous young prosecu- !